Among the consistent top selling USB flash drives at the moment is the innovative LaCie iamaKey. This is, as its name suggests, a flash drive that looks and feels a lot like a key. The idea behind it is pretty simple. Many of us have key rings that we carry around all day. So why not add a USB Flash Drive in a shape and form that works well with the keys so that a) you always have your drive with you should you need it and b) you can carry around data that you regularly need.
So what sort of data might you not want to leave home without? I have a lot of different passwords for various websites and the like. So I recently bought some password management software that keeps them all encrypted for easy use on a USB drive (I use RoboForm, if you are interested). In theory I could stick them on any drive and just try hard to remember to pop it into my pocket. As I’ve mentioned before I’m a huge fan of the SanDisk 16GB and now own several of these (so much so that it has become a problem for me figuring out which has got what data on it). There is no reason for me not to keep my passwords on that. But I liked the idea of having my passwords on a key. Besides, I never leave my keys at home, unlike my USB drives that I’m always forgetting at home or at the office.
The other great thing about this drive is that it feels really sturdy and I get the feeling that it would take a lot to destroy it. To be fair it gets some mixed reviews and I’ll lay out some of the positives and negatives that people report about the LaCie key.
The main advantages of the LaCie iamaKey
The big advantages of this drive are its small size, good storage and robust housing that makes it pretty sturdy. It also comes in a range of capacities from 8 GB all the way up to 32 GB.
It doesn’t get lost
It is strong
The main disadvantages
The biggest complaint that people make about the LaCie key is that it is slow. Its data transfer rate isn’t as great as some other drives and you’d expect better from a premier name such as LaCie. That said, there are sometimes complaints about the speed of the SanDisk cruzer whereas I’ve never found it much of a problem. Sure, it can take a while if you are moving big files, but for retrieval such as watching movies or listening to music I’ve never had any trouble.
The other big complaint about the key drive is reliability. A couple of users have reported failure after 6 months. It is difficult to know without decent data what the failure rate is and whether it is any worse than for other thumb drives by other manufacturers.
Another issue is that the plastic plugs that cover the connectors are easily lost.
LaCie iamakey v2 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 131106
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 List Price: $47.00 Sale Price: Too low to display Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Eligible For Free Shipping 
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Product Description
With the LaCie iamaKey v2, inventive storage meets data protection. The key-shaped design is functional and memorable, and the protection that the LaCie iamaKey offers makes it extremely reliable. Best of all, you can fit an enormous amount of data in a small flash drive. With its eye-catching design, the iamaKey certainly stands out, but its connector (Gold SIP) is both water- and scratch-resistant, making it one of the most durable and thinnest USB keys on the market. Protective edges on the connectors ensure that you will always insert the LaCie iamaKey properly, keeping it usable and safe. With the universal Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface, iamaKey can be used with both PC and Macs. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 not only offers universal compatibility and cross-platform convenience, but features a hot-pluggable connection and high-speed transfer rates, and is Windows ReadyBoost compatible. Best of all, the iamaKey is backward-compatible with USB 1.1, so you can use it on any computer. A product of the 5.5 Designers firm, the LaCie iamaKey fits in your pocket, and on your keychain, letting you take your data with you wherever you go. The LaCie iamaKey v2 also now comes with the new LaCie encryption software: LaCie Private-Public. Another new collectible product produced in conjunction with 5.5 Designers, the iamaKey is a usable, tough USB flash drive, but with a well-developed sense of fun. Minimum System Requirements: Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista, Mac OS X v10.3.5 or higher, Linux-based system. Box Contents: LaCie iamakey and cap.
Details
- Sturdy metal design, fits on a keyring
- Fast transfer rates: 30 MB/s; write mode: up to 10 MB/s
- Ultra-mobile and lightweight
- Gold SIP technology; water and scratch resistant
- Ships with LaCie's new encryption software: LaCie Private-Public
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